International Conference: Free European Media 2018

Gdansk, Poland – 15-16 February 2018

The Ethical Journalism Network’s Tom Law took part in the Free European Media conference in Gdansk, Poland on a panel entitled “Ethical standards and self-censorship” on 16 February 2018.

The keynote speaker of the panel, which will the second day of the conference, was Matthew Caruana Galizia, son of Daphne Caruana Galizia the Maltese investigative journalist who was brutally murdered in October 2017.

Kjersti Løken Stavrum, director of Tinius, Norway and former secretary general of the Norwegian Press Association, will moderate the panel discussion. Kjersti is member of the EJN’s board of trustees. The panellists will be:

Marilyn Clark, professor at the University of Malta will deliver a speech about the survey on self-censorship in Europe.

During the post-World War II era, visionary European leaders established institutions and developed conventions that combined media and democracy to keep the peace in Europe. The Council of Europe, the European Union, the OSCE (based on the Helsinki Final Act) all regard media freedom as a fundamental pillar of democracy. Today, in several countries we find that the links between free and pluralistic media and politics are being challenged.

Hate speech and fake news are rife, citizens are getting more and more confused as propaganda undermines the credibility of our news media, and our fundamental values are under attack. Impartial and accurate journalism is under attack.

It is high time to address the importance of uncensored, pluralistic media for the development of our free democracies in Europe.

International cooperation

The Free European Media Conference 2018 is organized by European Federation of Journalists in cooperation with: Council of Europe, Nordic Journalism Centre, European Centre for Press and Media Freedom, International Press Institute, European Federation of Public Service Unions, City of Gdansk, Pomorskie Region and European Solidarity Centre. National partners: SDP (Association of Polish Journalists), SDRP (Journalists’ Association of the republic of Poland) and TD (Society of Journalists).

15.15 The latest media developments in Poland

Alexandra Rybinska, Board member, Association of Polish Journalists (SDP)Tomasz Milkowski, International secretary of the Main Board, Association of the Republic of Poland (SDRP)Krzysztof Bobinski, Society of Journalists (TD)

Saving public service media as one of the pillars of liberal democracy

Can the big internet giants be effectively regulated at the national level?

Innovative youngsters – what is their influence?

The future of investigative journalism

Wout van Wijk, Director, News Media EuropeMaja Vasic-Nikolic, Project team coordinator, Independent Journalists’ Association of SerbiaJean Philip de Tender, Director Media at European Broadcasting UnionGulnara Akhundova, Head of Department for Global Response at International Media Support

17.45 Break

18.00 Debate with president Lech WalesaInterview with Lech Walesa, the former Polish president, and Peace Nobel Prize winner; conducted by Grzegorz Nawrocki, a former journalist of the Polish National Television (TVP).